3 The freenode project began as _#linuxneo_, a tiny GNU/Linux support channel, created by Rob Levin in
1994 on EFNet IRC. The channel soon changed its name to _#LinPeople_. By
1995, after moving to Undernet and then DALnet, _#LinPeople_ became a small network, _irc.linpeople.org_. In early
1998, it became _Open Projects Net_, with about
200 users and fewer than
20 channels.
5 In
2002, Open Projects Net became freenode, a service of Peer-Directed Projects Center, a tax-exempt corporation.
7 In
2013, the Peer-Directed Projects Center shut down; however the freenode project continues to operate as before.
9 Today, the freenode project plays host to somewhere in the region of
90,
000 users and just shy of
50,
000 registered channels.
11 The freenode project is managed entirely by a small team of enthusiastic volunteers who all share a passion for free and open source software and peer-directed project communities. You can learn more about the people behind freenode [here](pages/people).
13 The freenode project has experienced immense growth over the years and, in line with its original vision, the project provides interactive discussion facilities to a number of free and open source software communities and other peer-directed projects.
15 Peer-directed projects combine open, informal participation with broad licensing and wide dissemination of output.
17 You can read more about the Philosophy on which freenode is founded [here](pages/philosophy).